VinFast made a grand entry into the Indian market last year, and its strategy is interesting. It began operations rather quietly, laying groundwork for manufacturing, and strengthening support for its products even before they hit dealerships. This move ensured quality remains in check and that customers can experience VinFast’s world-class engineering at competitive prices. The Vietnamese marque kickstarted its India innings with the VF 6 and VF 7 electric SUVs. Here, we are taking a close look at the made in India, for India VF 6.
The VF 6 comes across as a striking and distinctive-looking SUV at first glance. Features like the connected LED DRLs, which form the brand’s trademark ‘V’ on the fascia give it a unique identity. The sculpted front end features more curves than sharp edges giving it a friendly face, while the compact headlamps are underlined by twin LED strips on either side. Its dimensions and proportions place the VF 6 in the midsize SUV segment, while its large 18-inch wheels accentuate its premium feel with their size and design both. The exterior design builds on the principle of simplicity which is challenging to execute, but VinFast’s designers have done it really well.
The simple theme continues inside the cabin too, along with a premium, technology-centric approach. A large, 12.9-inch touchscreen dominates the dashboard and is your gateway to almost every information/control in the VF 6 including the speedometer, battery stats, climate control, ORVM adjustment, boot opening, infotainment, drive mode selection and more. The interface is simple and the screen intuitive, which makes it extremely easy to use. Other elements inside the cabin include a simple yet classy dashboard layout with soft-touch plastics and materials, even on the base variant.
The plush upholstery adds to the VF 6’s impressive feel from inside, besides which features a host of modern conveniences, including ventilated front seats, a powered driver seat, edge-to-edge glass roof, wireless Android Auto and Apple CarPlay, India-specific vegan leather seats and brushed metal finishes, all of which exude class and elegance from end to end. The well-contoured front seats promise excellent comfort, while the rear seats offer ample overall support. Plus, there are plenty of storage spaces in the cabin, besides which the large boot can easily accommodate a weekend’s worth of luggage for a family of four.
The VF 6 comes equipped with a 59.6kWh battery pack, which is the largest in the midsize SUV segment and promises a range of 468km per charge. The VF 6 supports DC fast charging at up to 100kW, making for ultra-fast charging times. A single electric motor sends up to 204PS and 310Nm to the front wheels which ensures the VF 6 can accelerate from 0-100kmph in just 8.5 seconds. The VF 6 thus looks subtle and understated but is equipped with a long list of features, besides which it packs in serious performance. Furthermore, with prices starting from ₹16.49 lakh ex-showroom, the VF 6 is a real cat among the pigeons!
